My vegetarianism . . . . My Joy

Bright sporadic images of blurred figures blinked across the screen. Different shapes, and colors. Bright reds, spotted patterns, intense yellows. An orchestra of screams and chants flooded my ear canals once the colors had finished their magical display. So many people; signs, cages, blood, crying. Devices of dread never to be used on your worst enemy. Then, a slideshow of hurt animals. I was instantly enticed. I stood in the warm pulp of my living room on that dark, icy night watching what I refer to as the “mind Jedi” of America. The Television. I stood, lingering on every word. It was a protest of a fashion company that had skinned animals alive for their new fur jacket line. This is when I came to know what I truly believed in. After that cold night, my life changed. From that revealing moment onward, I vowed to do what I could to help animals that were truly undervalued in our society.

My life became centered around vegetarianism and animal consciousness. In a matter of time,

I became a self conscious expert on Every product, every label, every brand Everything changed. In addition, a complete overhaul of my favorite skin and hair products. Numbers sank lower on the weight scale as I slowly shed my old skin and grew a new one that incorporated my new values. Often times I’m asked “How can you live without all these products?” and I simply respond “How can you live with them?”.

My mother screamed at me. “You’re missing out on the basic joys of being young.” This statement overwhelmed me and struck me like a rampant pink elephant on the foot. Inquisitive questions flew through my mind at nano second speeds. Will I ever be able to order anything from Carls Jr. again? Will I ever be able to eat a 55$ prime rib steak again? Will I ever get to eat normally with my family again? At the time, I didn’t have the answer. I didn’t know if I would ever be able to have the answer.

Months later, and more familiar with the new lifestyle, my mother was in another one of her episodes. “Have some bacon Sade‘. You need to eat.” After a well programmed and automatic “Heck NO” response from me, she frustratingly said the same statement which puzzled me months earlier: “You’re missing out on the basic joys of being young.” This time, I was prepared and I didn’t even have to think twice about the answer. I thought to myself: I have been young. From hot dogs at Pinks to tequila lollipops with bugs inside, I have enjoyed meat from all ranges of the spectrum. But now, I’ve matured and it’s time to think about others aside from myself. Now this, vegetarianism, is my joy. Saving on average, at least 150 animals a year. This is a joy unlike any others I’ve experienced before. So with my joy, I say proudly, I believe in saving animals.

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Growing up in the former Yugoslavia, lawyer Djenita Pasic enjoyed the peace of her religiously diverse country. But after the fall of communism and the outbreak of the Bosnian War, Pasic was forced to reevaluate her ideas about religion and tolerance. Click here to read her essay.